Never Far Away
by shopgirl152
Summary: Not Just a Summer Fling Universe. It's been two years since Phineas started touring as a solo act. But when his wife and daughter are sad to see him leave for another gig, he reminds them that no matter where he goes, he's never far away. one-shot.


**A/N 1: **Comes after Adventures in Hitch Hiking  
**A/N 2: **Inspired by Leaving on a Jet Plane by Glee Cast and Carolina by Parmalee  
**Songs Used**: Leaving on a Jet Plane-Glee Cast; Carolina-Parmalee; I'm Already There-Lonestar

* * *

"Izzy. Izzy, wake up." Phineas gently shook his wife. "Izzy."

"Mmm…" his wife stirred, eyes slowly opening. "Phin?" She stared at him a moment. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you good-bye."

"Is the taxi here already?"

"No. Not yet. But it will be soon."

"Oh." She yawned, curling into a ball. "Good-bye. Travel safe." Her eyes slipped closed and the red head chuckled softly, placing a kiss to her temple.

"Good-bye Izzy. I love you."

"I love you too." The words came out muffled.

Phineas smiled softly at her for a moment before picking up his suitcase and guitar, tiptoeing towards the door.

"Phineas?"

He turned around. "Yeah?"

Isabella propped herself up on an elbow. She yawned. "Don't forget to tell Abby good-bye."

He smiled. "I was just on my way there." He stepped into the hallway, setting the suitcase by the stairs before walking into Abby's room. He tiptoed to the bed, looking down at the sleeping form. "Abby."

She stirred, slowly rolling over to face him. She rubbed her eyes. "Dad?"

"Hey Sweetie."

The girl yawned, sitting up in bed and turning on the bedside lamp. She eyed the guitar. "Are you leaving again?"

"'Fraid so. I have a gig in another state this time."

"Are you driving?"

"No. I'm taking a plane."

"Oh." Abigail studied him a moment. "Do you have to go? I miss you when you leave. So does Mom."

His heart twisted and he stared at her a moment. "Abby—"

"It's okay if you go; Mom and I just miss you is all."

He smiled. "I miss you girls too."

"You also miss all the really cool adventures Wheeler and I have." She paused. "Lyndsey and Anna too, but mostly Wheeler and I."

"Oh yeah? And what kind of adventures have you had?"

She jumped out of bed, grabbing something off the dresser and handing it to him. A makeshift book with a blue cover stared back at him, the word ADVENTURES scrawled across the top in blue crayon. She sat down next to him. "Open it!"

Phineas obliged, opening the book to the first page. He smiled as his daughter pointed out drawings that had been pasted into the book.

"Wheeler and I have so many adventures, I came up with a way to keep track of them." She pointed to a page. "Last week, we were ninjas. Mom made us costumes and everything. We were invisible all day! And then—" she turned a page. "Before you came home, we were pirates! We battled another pirate crew down at the Googolplex Mall!" Abby puffed out her chest with pride. "We won of course."

He chuckled as he closed the book, setting it to the side. "Wow Abby; looks like you and Wheeler have been busy."

"I know right? We've been having lots of fun." She sat indian style on the bed, glancing at the book. "Don't you wanna read about the rest of our adventures?"

"I'd love to, but the taxi will be here any minute. I'll have to go soon."

"Aww." Her face fell, only to brighten instantly as her eyes fell to the guitar leaning against the side of the bed. "Dad, will you sing me a song before you leave?"

Sure I will." He smirked. "But only if you get back in bed first."

"Will you tuck me in?"

Phineas nodded, waiting for his daughter to crawl back under the covers before tucking her in. "Comfy?"

"Mmhm."

The red head smiled, grabbing the guitar and tuning the strings before plucking out a tune. He began to sing. "All my bags are packed—"

"No, not that way. Introduce it like you do at your concerts."

He laughed out loud. "Hey Ladies and Gentlemen! It's great to be here in…" he looked around. "Abigail's Bed and Breakfast." She giggled. "I have a very special song I'm going to sing for you tonight. It's been sung by lots of people, but tonight I would like to dedicate it to my wife and daughter, Isabella and Abigail."

"I'm the more special one right?"

"Yes, yes you are." He propped a leg up on the side of the bed, balancing the guitar on his knee as he played.

_All my bags are packed  
__I'm ready to go  
__the taxi's waitin  
__he's blowin his horn  
__already I'm so lonesome I could cry__  
_

_So kiss me and smile for me  
__tell me that you'll wait for me—__  
_

"I'll always wait for you Dad. Even if I have to wait a really long time."

"That's good to hear." The red head went to strum another chord, only to pause. He glanced over his shoulder toward the front of the house. "Sounds like the cab's here. I have to go. I'm sorry Abby."

"It's okay Dad." She crawled out of the covers and across the bed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We can finish the song when you come home again." She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."

He pulled her to him, picking her up and hugging her. "I love you too."

"Okay Abby, back to bed."

Phineas turned around, smirking at his wife. "Aww. Five more minutes?"

"Daddy, you have to go." Isabella walked over, rubbing her husband's shoulder and kissing him on the cheek before looking at her daughter. "And you need to go back to bed."

Abigail studied her Mother a moment before releasing Phineas. "Okay." She crawled back under the covers as he turned off the bedside lamp. "Bye Dad. See you soon."

"Bye Abby." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before exiting the room, softly closing the door behind him.

"Is this everything?" Isabella held up the suitcase.

"Except for this." He motioned to the guitar in his hand. "I thought you went back to sleep."

"I was woken up by the concert."

"Oh." Phineas grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Don't be. It was nice." She grabbed the suitcase, standing up on tiptoe and kissing him on the lips. "Come on; I'll walk you out."

* * *

"So how long are you gone this time?"

"Dunno. I was planning on being back in a few weeks, but…a number of gigs came through and I don't want to pass them up." Isabella nodded solemnly and he looked at her with concern. "What's wrong?" She was silent for a moment. "Isabella?"

"Abigail's growing up so fast and…oh Phineas; you're just missing _so_ _much_." A tear fell. "I'm not sad for me; I know you'll be back. But Abby won't be eight forever."

"I know." He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up and kissing her. "Every time I leave, a piece of me stays here. But—"

"This is your dream. I know."

"Yeah." He turned her around, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, placing his chin on her shoulder. "So kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me, hold me like you'll never let me go."

She turned around in his arms, kissing him on the lips. "I'll never let you go." They kissed a few minutes longer before being startled by the cab horn.

The red head smiled sheepishly. "I think that's my cue." He reluctantly unwrapped his arms from around his wife's waist, taking the suitcase from her. "How about this; when I get back, I'll take a break from touring. Stay home for a month or two before heading back out on the road."

"Abby would love that. And so would I."

"It's a plan then." He gave his wife a cheeky grin, scooping her into his arms and twirling her around, kissing her one more time before setting her back down on the ground and releasing her. "Bye Izzy." He smirked. "For real this time." Phineas opened the door of the cab, placing his things in the backseat before sliding inside. He shut the door and rolled down the window, waving until the cab had rounded the corner and he could no longer see the house.

"Where you headed?" the cab driver asked.

"Danville airport please."

"You got it."

He took out his guitar, strumming a quiet tune.

_Cause I'm leavin on a jet plane  
__don't know when I'll be back again…__  
_

He trailed off, watching the rising sun. "I hate to go." The red head strummed one solemn cord before looking out the window and sighing. "Home is where my heart is still beating." He started, a grin appearing on his face as he dug a notebook and pen out of his suitcase, quickly rolling up the window before practically slamming the notebook against it and scribbling frantically.

The words poured out and after several seconds, the pen stopped. Phineas scanned the words and grinned. "Perfect."

* * *

_Six months later_

"Is he on yet? Is he on yet? Is he on yet?" Abigail bounced up and down on the couch, watching as the opening act finished their song and the show went to commercial. "Dad's on next, right?" She sighed dramatically. "We've been waiting for_ever_."

"Yes, Dad's on next." Isabella smiled as her daughter started bouncing up and down again. "Be patient Abby; he'll be on soon."

"How soon?"

"After the commercial break—" she smiled softly. "Looks like he's on now."

The eight year old grinned, plopping down on the couch and hugging a pillow, eyes glued to the TV.

"And now, the person you've all been waiting for…Phineas Flynn!"

"Yaayy!" Abby cheered as her Dad made his way onstage.

Phineas smiled out at the crowd, adjusting the microphone stand before speaking. "Hey everyone! It's great to be here tonight." A loud whoop sounded from the crowd and the smile turned into a grin. "Sounds like a great crowd tonight. Before I get started with the music you all came to hear, I'd like to play an opening song for two very special people first."

"That's us," Abby beamed.

"You see, I've been touring for two years now and even though I've loved every minute of it, and gotten to see some pretty amazing things, every now and again, it gets kind of lonely on the road. You miss your friends and your family. Now, I have two very special girls, my wife and daughter, whom I love very much. They're there for me no matter what, and girls, just know that no matter where I am, I'm never far away."

The red head plucked a few strings on his guitar, making sure the instrument was tuned before speaking into the microphone again. "Isabella and Abigail, this one's for you."

_Home is where my heart is still beating  
__and I don't know when I'll see them again  
__I hate to see them cry when I'm leavin  
__now I'm a thousand miles away again…__  
_

He closed his eyes, strumming the guitar strings. "They feel like Carolina, look like California, shiny like those New York lights on Broadway. When they look back I'm behind them, but I'll always be there for them, they make me feel like home's not so far away…"

_It's hard to understand the way I'm livin  
__and I know they think I'm never coming home  
__but I miss their pretty smiles, I'll be back in a little while  
__but I'm a thousand miles away again…__  
_

"Oh Phineas…" Isabella sniffed, wiping away a tear.

"Mom?" Abigail looked at her Mother. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, smiling and wiping her eyes. "Yes Abby. I'm fine."

"I think you need a hug." The girl tossed the pillow on the floor before crawling across the couch and climbing into Isabella's lap, hugging her. "Don't worry Mom; Dad'll be back soon. He always comes back."

She gave her daughter a kiss on the head, the two watching the rest of the concert.

_No matter how far I go  
__you know I can't stop thinking about them…__  
_

* * *

"Did you like the song?"

"Yeah! It was great!" Abigail frowned, looking at Isabella. "I don't think Mom liked it though. She cried."

"She did?"

"Yep."

"Could you put her on Sweetie?"

"Yep!" The eight year old held the phone out to her Mother, only to place it back to her ear. "Bye Dad! I love you!"

He chuckled. "I love you too Abby."

"He wants to say hi." Abby handed the phone over and Isabella waited until her daughter was out of the room before speaking. She smiled into the phone. "Hey Phin."

"Hey Izzy." He paused. "You didn't like the song?"

"No, I liked it. It just…" she swallowed. "It got to me. In a good way." She sighed. "I really miss you Phineas."

"I know."

"I wish I was with you right now, lying next to you, with you holding me."

He started singing "And I'll gently kiss your lips, touch you with my fingertips, so turn out the light and close your eyes…"

"Oh Phineas."

_I'm already there  
__don't make a sound  
__I'm the beat in your heart  
__I'm the moonlight shining down__  
_

_I'm the whisper in the wind  
__and I'll be there til the end  
__when you feel the love that we share  
__oh I'm already there.__  
_

Isabella smiled into the phone, swiping at her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." The red head went to say something, only to pause. "Sorry Izzy; I have to go. The manager at the concert venue wants to talk to me. I'll call you when I get to the next town."

"Good-bye Phin." The woman hung up the phone, staring at it a moment.

"Mom? Are you better now?" Abigail walked into the room. "Mom?"

She forced a smile. "I'm much better now Abby." She eyed her daughter. "Now come on; it's time for bed."

"Can't I stay up another hour?"

"I already let you stay up so you could see Dad."

"But Mom—"

"Abigail Elisabeth Flynn…"

Abby sighed. "Alright, fine."

* * *

"Thanks for singing tonight Phineas; it was a pleasure having you."

The red head stood up, shaking the manager's hand. "It was a pleasure being had."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks."

"Have a good night now."

"You too." Phineas waited until the man had left the room before grabbing his things, making his way out of the concert venue. He paused outside, looking up at the night sky. "I'll be home soon girls. I promise."


End file.
